Prayers Ascending

For Refreshment in Daily Life

2007-01-24T10:19:00.000-08:00

O God, in sunshine and rain, in work and rest, in friendship and solitude, in the common things of life you give us your very self, making bread and wine the Sacrament of your sustaining presence: strengthen and refresh us, that we may eagerly seek you, surely find you, and faithfully serve you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

For Sally

2007-01-09T06:10:00.000-08:00

Almighty God, Father of mercies and giver of comfort: Deal graciously, we pray, with all who mourn; that casting all their care on you, they may know the consolation of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —Prayer Book, p. 505

2006-10-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

Guide us, Lord, in all the changes and varieties of the world; that we may have evenness and tranquility of spirit: that we may not murmur in adversity nor in prosperity wax proud, but in serene faith resign our souls to thy divinest will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
--Jeremy Taylor

2006-10-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

O God, grant that today
       I may not disappoint any friend;
       I may not grieve any loved one;
       I may not fail anyone to whom I have a duty;
       I may not shame myself.
   Grant that today
       I may do my work with honesty and fidelity;
       I may take my pleasure in happiness and purity.
   Grant that today
       I may lead no one astray;
       I may not make goodness and faith harder for anyone.
   Help me today
       to be a help and example to all;
       to bring strength and encouragement wherever I am:
   Through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.
   ... William Barclay (1907-1978)

2006-09-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

Here I am, Lord, body, heart, and soul. Grant that with your love, I may be big enough to reach the world and small enough to be at one with you.

—Mother Teresa of Calcutta

2006-09-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

Give me modesty in my countenance, gravity in my behavior, deliberation in my speech, holiness in my thoughts, and righteousness in all my actions. Let thy mercy cleanse me from my sins, and let thy grace bring forth in me the fruits of everlasting life.

—John Cosin

2006-08-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

Great Spirit, Grandfather, you have made everything and are in everything. Make me grateful to you for all things. I love and thank you for our beautiful mother the earth whose many breasts nourish the fish, the fowls, and the animals. May I never deceive mother earth, may I never deceive other people, may I never deceive myself, and above all, may I never deceive you. —Bishop Vine Deloria

2006-07-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Father of all, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gates of glory. May we who share Christ's body, live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Amen.

2006-06-23T07:37:00.000-07:00

Send us, O Lord, as your messengers, to hearts without homes, to lives without love, and to a multitude without direction.

Send us to children whom no one has blessed, to the hungry whom no one has fed, to the fallen whom no one has raised, to the desolate whom no one has consoled.

Light your fire on the altar of our hearts so that others may receive its warmth. Let your light shine through our souls so that others may see the path before them. Keep our compassion and discernment ready, our will fervent and alive, our hands' reach to help our brothers and sisters in their time of need. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. -- Adapted from the closing prayer at the first National Convocation of Deaconesses, 1951

2006-06-23T07:09:00.000-07:00

O Father, I will trust thee, for all the known and all the unknown good that I have ever had has come from thee. Sweet Saviour, I will trust thee: thy grace is all-sufficient for my soul, as mighty as thy power and as matchless as thy love. Blest Spirit, I will trust thee: how can I ever dare to trust myself, to think, or speak, or act apart from thee? O God, my God, my hope and stay, who knowest and orderest all that is best, I know not what to will or do aright; then make me ever love to choose and do thy will. -- Walter Howard Frere